Is rum the secret cure to my ills?
Lately, things have been more nuts than usual. Can I share a word of wisdom? Don’t try to start several distinct businesses all in one month. For some months Suzanne and I have been working at a break-neck pace, often until 11pm. This practice was taking a very obvious toll on us both. Sleeping seven hours a night yet feeling tired all day, with the telltale signs of exhaustion appearing as dark circles under the eyes.
The struggle was more apparent with me, evidenced by wild dreams that bordered on crazy, a short temper (well, shorter than usual) and a serious pain in my right hip had appeared to join neck and back pain. When you’re in pain like that you skip the gym, which robs you of endorphins and a release of stress. Anxiety was starting to rear its ugly head again, fuelled by extra stress at work and a difference of opinion with my managers. Coupled with a few emotional events like heart-felt compliments from old friends I was on the brink of a breakdown.
Last night I decided it was time to relax on the deck with a journal, ambient music and rum. I love rum; it’s sweet, spicy and smooth. As the ink (and rum) started to flow, I traveled the rocky terrain of an anxious mind, sobbing at the folly of past choices and the insanity of modern life where decent salaries disappear like a fart in the wind and we take side gigs to get ahead.
It’s moments like these when you cherish a good partner like Suzanne; one who is supportive, loving and non-judgmental when you’re at your most vulnerable. I went to bed fully intoxicated and enjoyed the slumber of a corpse, with no memorable dreams. Seven hours later I woke slightly hung over, but something was different: the hip, back and neck pains were all gone. There was a mental focus that had been missing for quite some time.
Could it be that rum cures body pain? Not likely. It’s more likely that inebriation allowed my subconscious to fully rest, in turn relaxing muscles from head to toe that had been under stress even during sleep. I remembered tonight that pain takes root in the body based on the kind of stress being experienced so I looked up the meaning of hip pain on Collective Evolution:
"Because the process of walking relies on first thrusting the hip forward and then the leg, pain in this region indicates moving too quickly in life. Hips are representative of decisions, especially as they pertain to moving forward. You might need to stop, look around, and slow down before making any more moves."
Gee, what a surprise! Hip pain tells me that running four businesses is too much? There isn’t any doubt that pain can be psychosomatic… to me the evidence is very clear. But the cause can also be mechanical. In fact, mental stress probably allows mechanical deficiencies to be unmasked.
The next time you experience body pain, you might be smart to first look at your stress level. To assess your stress, try bio-dots that change color, or measure your heart rate and blood pressure. For treatment, you can try your alcohol of choice, but alcohol is a known depressant. Depending on your personality, it may be good to hit bottom and bounce back up. An option that is growing in popularity is sensory deprivation tanks, where you float in a super-salinated water tank, deprived of light and sound. This has the effect of relaxing the mind and allowing it to decompress. I highly recommend it. No matter which you choose, you’re always welcome to join me in a rum.
